Strip processing apparatus



March 24, 1942.

J. l. GREENBERGE'R STRIP PROCESSING APPARATUS Filgd Feb. 28, 1940 2 SheetsSheet 1 NVENTOR March 24, 1942.

J. 1. GREENBERGER STRIP PROCESSING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 28, 1940 i 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Patented Mar. 24, -1942 s'rarr rnocassmo. arraaa'rus Joseph l. Greenberger, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor to United Engineering and Foundry Company,

Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application February 28,1940, Serial 'No. 321,273 7 Claims. (Cl. 271 2.1)

This invention relates to an improvement in strip feeding apparatus and while not necessarily so limited pertains more particularly to an improvement in apparatus for threading metallic strip through pickling and cleaning tanks or the like. Heretofore, it has been the more common practice where metal strip is processed in continuous processing lines such as cleaning and pickling lines to thread the strip by hand through the processing tanks. In accordance with such practice the strip must be placed in the tank before the electrical grids, in the case of electrolytic lines, are in place or the tanks filled with the processing solution. Ordinarily, the bottom grids are first placed in the tank, the

strip placed in position, the top grid positioned,

and finally, the solution pumped into the tanks, and if the strip is broken during .the processing either within or ahead of'the tank, the tank must be drained into a sump wherein the processing solution may become contaminated and the strip again threadedthrough the tank by hand. This, of course, is not only a laborious procedure but results in consequent production Figure 1 is a plan view of a processing tank in combination with a threading device,

Figure 2 is a. front elevation view of the ap- I Figure 5 is a detail of the strip end engaging unit for leading the strip through the tank, and

Figure 6 is a modified form of my invention in combination with a plurality of strip proc- .essing tanks.

Referring -in detail to the drawings by way of explanation, the numeral I designates a processing tank such as may be used in continuous electrolytic strip cleaning lines, but as such does not form a part of this invention, the electrical parts of the tank have been omitted. Within the tank there is provided the customary holddown or strip submerging rolls 2 which n rmally feeding the strip through the tanks rapidly and with a minimum amount of effort on the part.

of the operator.

A further object is to provide for threading the strip through the tanks while the tank is filled to the working level with the strip processing solutions. 7

Still another object is to provide for rethreadbecome brokemwithin or ahead of the tanks, this without the necessity of emptying the tanks as has been the practice heretofore.

Still a further object is to provide a threadin device for threading thestrip through the associated apparatus in the processing line as well, such as scrubbers, driersand the like and for automatically aligning the strip therein which is very-diflicult when threaded by hand.

'These and various other objects as well as the various other novel features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description and accompanying drawingsof which,

ing the strip through the tanks should the strip maintain the strip at a point below the upper electrical grids and above the lower grids when the strip is under tension. -For threading the strip through the tank continuous conveyor chains 3 'or the like, of a material which is unaffected by the processing solution in the tank, are provided. These are passed over sheaves l secured to idler shaft 5, beneath curved guides 6 securedto the sides of the tank to restrain the chains so as to prevent their coming in contact with the rolls 2, between' wringer rolls 1 and 8; over sprockets 9 secured to driven shaft ll, into he tank engaging with sheaves l2 and I4 secured to idler shafts l3 and I5 suitably mounted in the tank, and up to and engaging with sheaves 4 at the entry end of the tank. To prevent the chain from becoming fouled and from dragging along the bottom, spaced guides l6 and I! are securely mounted in 'the tank, being supported in superposed position, one above the other. v

The wringer rolls I and 8 are mounted in suitable bearings in a frame It, the upper. bearings beingsecured to screw shafts l9 equipped with hand wheels 2| which are utilized to separate and bring together the two rolls for purposes to be outlined hereinafter.

. A suitable driving mechanism for actuating the chain propelling sprockets 9 and the wringer 1'O11S 1 and 8 is provided which consists of a nected by means of a clutch 3| to a stub shaft 28 and driven through a cross chain 25 engaging two sprockets 26 and 21 suitably mounted on shafts 28 and 29 respectively. The friction clutch 3i for engaging the driven stub shaft 28 with the wringer roll shaft is controlled by manually operating a lever 32. Located at the delivery end of the tank is a flag switch 31 connecting the motor 22 through conductors 38 and 39 to the power source indicated generally as L1 and L2. A separate switch S1 is utilized for controlling the motor 22 separate and apart from the flag switch 31.

In order to utilize the chains 3 for threadin the strip 20 through the tank, a strip end engaging unit 33 is provided. This unit comprises a bar 33a which has secured to its opposite ends a pair of hooks 36 which are adapted to engage the pins 30 forming the end connections of the chain links as shown. These hooks, however, may take whatever form is required depending upon the type of chain which is used. Onthe front side of the bars 33a are a plurality of spaced Jaws 34 within which the end of the strip is secured, being releasably clamped therein by screws 35 provided in the upper jaws or other suitable means. The number of jaws, of course, may vary with. the width of the strip and as will be appreciated, for convenience, a number of such units may be provided with each system.

To enclose the apparatus so that dust and dirt of the surrounding atmosphere will be prevented from settling in the tank to contaminate the strip processing solution, a suitable cover 24 may be provided.

The apparatus having been described in detail, the operation of my invention for threading continuous metallic strip through a processing tank may be briefly summarized as follows:

The leading end of a strip 20 is inserted in the jaws 34 of the unit 33, and firmly secured therein by means of set screws 35. The hooks 38 are then placed over and engaged with the cross pins 30 of the chains 3 on the chain delivery side of sheaves 4. Friction clutch 3! is then disengaged and the upper roll 8 raised to its topmost position. Next, flag switch 31 is set and the motor 22 started. With the starting of the motor 22 sprockets 9 cause .the chain 3 and strip secured to the strip. engaging units 33 to be pulled down into the tank, beneath the guides 8 along guides 46, beneath the second set of guides 8 and out of the tank at the delivery end between the rolls I and 8 which previously have been separated sufficiently to permit passage of the'units 33 and the guides B are located in the tank beyond the ends of the hold down rolls 2 so that the strip engag- .ing unit is prevented from coming in contact .strip end therebetween. Although the channel stantially midway between the wringer rolls 1 and 8 and the sprockets 9, the motor 22 is stopped by the bar 33 coming in contact with and trip- 0nd tank, dryer or any other apparatus associated therewith. v

In order that the strip may be positively fed into succeeding tanks or the like, the wringer rolls are driven by engaging the friction clutch 3| with the stub shaft 28 for actuation by the motor 22 by way of the chains 25. As an alternative, the top wringer roll 8 may be raised so that the bottom roll 1 will act as a deflecting roll.

As a modification of my improved threading device, Figure 6 illustrates a plurality of processing tanks through which continuous chains are extended and so positioned as to positively thread the metallic strip therethrough in a manner similar to that outlined above, the difference being in the number of rolls, sprockets and guides required to restrain the chains in a. well defined path. The various parts have been given the same identification numerals where possible as those embodied in the single tank, with the addition of the subscript c. The drive 220, as in the case of a single tank, is positioned at the delivery end of the line. A plurality of guides I0 are positioned at the ends of the tanks in order to restrain the chain and to prevent its being fouled on the return path. Rolls lc are provided between the tanks so that the strip may pass over them and be more readily carried from one tank to the next.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, I have explained the principle and operation of my invention and have illustrated and described'what I consider to represent its best embodiment. However, I desire to have it understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described.

I claim:

1. For use in a plurality of strip processing tanks, means for threading strip therethrough comprising a continuous conveyor operative in.

the tanks, a plurality of sprockets and sheaves engaged by said conveyor, a driving mechanism for actuating said sprockets, a plurality of vertically spaced guides engaging said conveyor'and restricting movement thereof in a well defined path, a strip end engaging device adapted to be detachably secured to said conveyor, idler rolls positioned between the tanks, a pinch roll machine at the delivery end of the last tank in the series through which the strip is required to pass, and a pl urality of guides positioned at the ends of the said tanks over which said conveyor is restrained to'pass on its return path through said tanks... v r

2. For use in a tank containing a solution for processing continuous strip, apparatus comprising means secured to the sides of the tank for guiding the strip therethrough beneath the surface of the solution, means comprising a pair of continuous conveyor chains adapted to be detachably secured to the end of the strip to be threaded through the tank along the same path through which the strip normally passes during the continuous processing operation, a guiding means secured to the bottom of the tank for guiding said conveyor chains in both the forward and return paths, and means for driving and supporting said conveyor chains comprising a plurality of sprockets around which said chains are adapted to pass secured to both ends of the tank.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2 including strip end-engaging means provided on one face with jaw-like projections having fastening means to be detachably secured to the end of the strip and on the opposite face with a pair of members to be detachably secured to the conveyor chains.

4. Apparatus according to claim 2 includingstrip-end engaging means provided on one face with jaw-like projections having means to be detachably secured to the end of the strip and on the opposite face with a pair of members to be detachably secured to the conveyor chains and at the feeding out end of the tank an adjustable pinch roll machine between the rolls of which the continuous conveyor chains and strip endengaging means are free to pass. I

5. Apparatus according to claim. 2 including strip-end engaging means provided on one face with jaw-like projections having means to be detachably secured to the end of the strip and on the opposite face with a pair of members to be detachably secured to the conveyor chains and means adapted to be engaged by said strip endengaging means for discontinuing the forward movement of said conveyor chains.

6. For use in a tank containing a solution for processing continuous strip apparatus comprising means for guiding the strip through the tank beneath the surface of the solution, continuous conveyor -means adapted to be detachably secured to the end of .the strip to be threaded through the tank along substantially the same path through which the strip normally passes during the continuous processing operation, means for guiding said conveyor means in both the forward and return paths, and means for driving and supporting said conveyor means comprising a plurality of rotating members about which the conveyor means are adapted to pass.

7. For use in a continuous processing line, apparatus comprising means for guiding continuous strip through a processing tank and into contact with a strip-processing solution contained therein, continuous conveyor means adapted to be detachably secured to the end of the strip to be threaded through the tank along substantially the same path through which the strip normally passes 'during the continuous processing operation, means for guiding said conveyor means in both the forward and return paths, and means comprising a plurality of rotating elements about which the conveyor means are adapted to pass, being driven and supported thereby.

'JOSEPH I. GREENBERGER. 

